Self-management among Patients Living with Diabetes in the United States Virgin Islands

The United States Virgin Islands (USVI) is facing a diabetes epidemic similar to the one on the U.S. mainland, yet little is known regarding the cultural context relevant to self-management in this U.S. territory. We conducted in-home interviews (n=53) supplemented by self-administered questionnaire...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of health care for the poor and underserved 2011-02, Vol.22 (1), p.271-283
Main Authors: Nunez, Maxine A, Yarandi, Hossein, Nunez-Smith, Marcella
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Behavior
Colonies & territories
Cultural aspects
Cultural Characteristics
Data collection
Diabetes
Diabetes Mellitus - therapy
Diabetics
Female
Glycated Hemoglobin A - analysis
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Intervention
Interviews
Islands
Male
Medical research
Middle Aged
Public health
Qualitative analysis
Qualitative Research
Self Care
Selfmanagement
Social support
Studies
Surveys and Questionnaires
Territories
United States Virgin Islands
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Summary:The United States Virgin Islands (USVI) is facing a diabetes epidemic similar to the one on the U.S. mainland, yet little is known regarding the cultural context relevant to self-management in this U.S. territory. We conducted in-home interviews (n=53) supplemented by self-administered questionnaire and A1c testing with U.S. Virgin Islanders to characterize self-management knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among patients living with diabetes. The mean glycosylated hemoglobin (A1c) was 7.63 (Range=5-13); a composite score of traditional self-management behaviors was not associated with A1c. Several recurrent themes emerged from qualitative analysis including: 1) cultural nuances shaped perspectives on self-management, 2) culturally-specific challenges were barriers to effective self-management, 3) medical homes were rarely viewed as the primary source of education and support, and 4) fear largely motivated or stalled self-management practices. This study highlights the need for culturally-tailored measures and interventions to address the specific needs within this population.
ISSN:1049-2089
1548-6869
1548-6869
DOI:10.1353/hpu.2011.0024